Lexus LC 500

Staid. That is usually the word that comes to mind when I think of Lexus. Sure, their cars have ample luxury and are a great value, but so what? When I purchase a car, I want something that has a bit of everything; A car that ticks every box on my checklist of desires. Up until now, Lexus has been making cars that are more for families and blank-faced business men that live their lives in drab offices and cluttered cubicles.  Not any longer however! With the introduction of the LC 500, Lexus has once again shattered their own mold and flexed their collective genius, showing the world that they can make a vehicle that is at once powerful and sublimely sexy.

The LC 500 boasts a rippingly great sounding 5 liter V-8 engine that pumps out 471 horsepower. Mated to a 10 speed transmission, the LC can certainly scoot down the highway with ease. Taking its styling cues from the still highly sought after LFA supercar that Lexus made a few years ago, the LC is a different path for the car maker. From the exposed carbon fiber bits of the car, to all its performance numbers, Lexus can create something sporty and thrilling to drive.

Having had the car for a good week, I was supremely happy that Lexus filled their empty sporting niche. The LC 500 has 4 different driving modes that one can choose from: Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport+. Each mode gives way to different dampening rates of the suspension, different gear change rpms and even different visual readouts on your dashboard. This is of course all in the name of convenience and comfort. Indeed, driving around town on a “normal” day, Eco mode makes the smallest of demands for gasoline and nary a sound can be heard from the engine. When the weekend comes however, and you want to explore the open and twisty roads, Sport+ mode changes the dials to red and the motor opens up to a cacophony of growls, while the suspension tightens for the coming adventure.

Moving inside the car, it is all luxury. The bolstered seats and just about everything else, is covered in rich leathers, while the dashboard and console are adorned in polished aluminum. The cabin is a quiet space for relaxed driving, but can handle more aggressive jaunts. The steering wheel is perfectly balanced in its shape and size, while all controls are but a finger movement away. This may not seem like a lot, but countless hours were spent learning how people move in cars and studying what features need to be closer than others. Lexus took all this new information and designed every aspect of this car to be exact. And after long hours of driving, the LC 500 will not tire you, as most other cars do. Each and every time you get behind the wheel, a fun adventure awaits.

Lexus has really nailed the sports car market with the LC. It is certainly a great value and situated just under $100,000, which makes it a top contender in its space. It is a car that is extremely capable and its hard angles are like something out of the future. I, along with countless other people, could not stop gawking at the car. And each time I told onlookers that it was a Lexus, it was as if their minds were bent in a way never done before. But it is true dear readers, Lexus has the skill and willingness to explore the unknown. And by the look, feel and performance of the LC 500, it seems that they know a lot more than we give them credit for! Lexus is an automaker that cares not for the limelight of splashy advertisements, but instead prefers to make their mark in rubber. And with a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds, the LC 500 can get you to work with a flair no one is expecting and that is just what we should all want.